~ …give that you may live, for to withhold is to perish. (Adapted from Kahlil Gibran)

Insight through Insecurity @8amber8 #cpchat

Amber Teamann (@8amber8) asserts that, Your Insecurity will Destroy You! As a person in a leadership position, I can honestly attest to the veracity of this statement. One’s insecurities–no matter the source, internal or external–can spread like weeds, and even when rooted out, remain to grow again. Insecurity is like a drug that you dare not take because it signal instant addiction.

After all, who wouldn’t be captured by a parade of nightmare stories that feature them as the primary protagonist? As Jerome Bruner points out, “Personhood implicates narrative.” And, “neurosis is a reflection of either an insufficient, incomplete, or an inappropriate story about oneself” (Source). Do not let insecurities into your mind, stop them before they take root…but don’t be afraid to gain insight from them.

While the simplest solution is to not allow insecurities to take root, there is another way–to learn from what makes you insecure. One way to accomplish this is to write them down (blog it!) and allow the starkness of black ink on the white page show them for what they are, twisted shadows of future success.

As a person in a leadership position, my success as a leader, the organization’s success in achieving it’s objectives was 100% dependent on maximizing leadership ability in my team, helping them appreciate that they had more “power” than they imagined possible. The problem is that every team member has their own set of insecurities, and if those are heightened or dealt with, they will turn into shards of razor-sharp glass that will slice your team to pieces.

Worse, as others’ insecurities twist reality in their broken reflections, your own leadership will come under question. I’ve never had a single day as a leader that I didn’t have the opportunity to gain insight through my own insecurities.

Make peace with your insecurities…

When others ask where you are at with an initiative, it’s not necessarily a negative indictment of one’s work but an opportunity to clarify deadlines and expectations.

When others get upset or challenge ideas, it’s not YOU they are challenging, but rather, an opportunity to recognize that conversations can be had that value expression of ideas and are founded on a commitment to dialogue even when intense emotions are at play.

When others question if a course of action chosen is the best, it is an opportunity to ask again, “Did we all agree on this course of action, did we all make an equal commitment to the work, and a steadfast decision to take action with the information available at the time?“

When you doubt your leadership due to other’s actions, ask yourself, “What can I do that will gain other insights into this situation, and help me better understand what is best for the organization and all involved?“

Yes, I know quite well the demons of my insecurity…I find they provide me with some of the best insights into my character. They have become tell-tale reminders that I must not stray from the way of disinterest.